henryp wrote:
If the buyer's state has sales tax the buyer is liable to his or her state for "use tax," equal to the sales tax amount. An out-of-state retailer may no be able to collect and remit that tax but the buyer is liable for it anyway. The buyer's state tax form will ask and the buyer signs and submits that form under penalty of perjury. YMMV.
Yes, Henry - of course you are right, and when it comes time to pay the state income tax I actually do fill out that affidavit part of the form and plunk down the tax - but it just feels so good at the time of purchase not to include it! "But dear, I saved $120 on sales tax!"